Oracle Days

Chapter Twenty

The thought of Valerie's body, crumpled against the wall, still breathing, sent a shiver racing down my spine. The brutal violence of the attack, the unmistakable message it carried, echoed in my mind, leaving me sick with dread. The Vampire Queen was willing to go that far—to break us in the most vicious way possible—just to get her hands on whatever it was she craved. The image of Valerie's broken form lingered in my mind, a ghost that wouldn't leave.

I hadn't slept more than a few hours last night, the weight of everything gnawing at me, keeping me awake as my thoughts spiralled. Now, the exhaustion was evident on my face. Dark circles under my eyes marred my reflection in the cafe's mirrors on the walls, my skin pale from lack of rest. I tried to ignore it, tried to push through, but the fog in my head only made everything harder.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I nearly collided with Lily. I stumbled to a stop, but not quickly enough. "Watch it, runt," she snapped, her sharp tone cutting through my fog of confusion like a knife.

I sidestepped her, keeping my gaze averted. As I placed the dishes onto the counter and began loading the dishwasher, Lily's voice cut through the stillness, drawing my attention unwillingly.

"Has anyone seen Valerie recently?" she asked, her tone casual, but it struck me like a cold blade. I froze, the sudden rush of regret and dread flooding over me. My eyes went wide with fear, my pulse quickening as the weight of her words settled in.

One of the girls answered, her tone matter-of-fact, "No, sorry. The last I heard, she was at the academy, cleaning off the graffiti on the lockers as part of her punishment."

Lily's voice shifted, laced with concern. "Same, but I haven't heard from her since. She's not usually this distant with me."

The realisation struck me like a thunderclap—Lily had no idea her best friend was gone. A wave of empathy and sorrow washed over me, squeezing my chest. I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I imagined what it would feel like if were Aurora missing, and I had no way of knowing if she was even safe. The thought was unbearable.

A single tear traced down my cheek, and I swiftly wiped it away, forcing myself to maintain a brave face. I threw myself into the rhythm of the café, my hands moving with practised precision as I prepared each order. The rich scent of freshly ground coffee filled the air, blending with the comforting warmth of baked goods.

During the morning rush, I poured my focus into perfecting each flat white, the delicate swirls of steamed milk forming intricate designs with each pour. The hiss of the espresso machine became a steady backdrop, its rhythmic hum blending with the soft chatter of patrons discussing their plans for the day.

During a brief pause, I overheard Lily conversing with the other girls on shift. Their voices carried a mix of concern and curiosity, but my mind was elsewhere, still reeling from the weight of my deep, dark secret. All I wanted to do was yell at them, scream that Valerie is dead, she is dead, but the words stuck in my throat, suffocated by the burden of everything I couldn't say.

When my shift finally ended, I bid Mrs. Hart goodbye with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. The cold afternoon air greeted me as I stepped outside, and I pulled my jacket tighter around me, the chill matching the unease gnawing at my gut as I made my way back to the pack house.

Back in my room, I closed the door behind me with a quiet sigh, the solitude amplifying the turmoil I couldn't outrun. I sank onto the edge of my bed, my mind racing, my heart aching. The thought of Valerie twisted my insides. I couldn't shake the image of her body against the wall, the final breath she might've taken before the world around her went dark.

I felt the tremor in my hands, either from the panic clawing at my chest or the cold creeping into my bones. Reaching for the half-empty bottle of sleeping pills, I felt a sense of hopelessness. But before I could reach the bottle, the door to my room opened.